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Drew Barrymore, have you guys even seen The Wedding Singer, 50 First Dates, Never Been Kissed? She's my rom-com comfort movie fave She could cut that gangly bitch Cameron Diaz, but she won't, cuz it's not cute.

On the other hand, we need more Neil Patrick Harris in these lists. Ultimate Stepford Gay, not at all funny, not even in Harold & Kumar when he played "himself" except as a straight bro. Listen, I don't care if he's married with children, that's your life.. But I'm old school counterculture queer. I'm not here for basic bitches. If fucking ELLEN and ROSIE are more genuine and outspoken than you on issues, you are probably a cunt. I get weird vibes that he is probably a Trump supporter, or a scientologist, or something, although both of these assertions are completely unfounded. Anyone else in the haters club?????

I'm with you, as you'll find if you take a look at my list. I also agree on the Drew Barrymore love, she's awesome and deserves better roles, I think. In fact, I've seen many of my favourites in the lists posted here so far, including Steve Carell (who is a brilliant bundle of hugs and sunshine), Kristen Wiig, Melissa McCarthy, Robert Downey, Johnny Depp, Jena Malone, Reese Witherspoon and many more. But I believe that's part of what makes this game so fun. Also, let me state a hugely unpopular opinion: I really like Sarah Jessica Parker and, in fact, think she is very talented. It's not her fault that SATC devolved into a shrill exercise in bad taste.

So is this thread about actors we think are over-rated and untalented, or just about people we don't know personally but have decided to hate for some reason?

I'm assuming this is directed to me, seeing as I'm the person who created the thread. If so, you can look at my original post where I clearly state what the thread is about. I'm sure that you can make a difference by sharing your own opinions, instead of dissing what other people are posting about here.

I'm assuming this is directed to me, seeing as I'm the person who created the thread. If so, you can look at my original post where I clearly state what the thread is about. I'm sure that you can make a difference by sharing your own opinions, instead of dissing what other people are posting about here.

For me if someone is bad or overrated then they are just creating celluloid pollution. As someone who hates wastefulness of any kind, I just can't abide. The worst kind of person is one that just takes up space.

No, but my two lists would be very different, so I just wanted it clarified.

I think sticking to the former (overrated and untalented) is probably the best idea, or at least that's what I was aiming for. On the other hand, feel free to post both lists - I'm sure they'll make for a fun read.

Oh, there's another actor who is a complete piece of wood when it comes to acting: David Giuntoli, the guy from Grimm. He is so terrible that it's funny. But he's hot at hell so yeah, I don't really care that he's so ridiculous.

1. TOM CRUISE BECAUSE OMG WHAT A DICK
2. Kristen Stewart because she's completely one-note
3. Matthew McDunnoHowToSpellIt for being one-note and getting high off his own farts
4. Kate McKinnon for being one-note and doing a fucking TERRIBLE Hillary impression
5. Adam Sandler for being an idiot, writing terrible movies and terrible acting on terrible movies (except Spanglish)
6. Channing Tatum because he can't act, though he does have lots of charisma
7. Jesse Eisenberg (do I really have to explain this one?)
8. Brad Pitt because while he used to have range, he seems to have lost it
9. Nicolas Cage
10. Mark Wahlberg because (see #3) and also for being a dick

OK. I apologise for getting snippy then. And, for the record, I really was curious to read your picks because I enjoy your thoughts on performing a lot.

Oh thank you! It's tricky because I think it's generally difficult to do anything at level high enough to gain public recognition over it without developing a certain level of competence eventually. If you pushed me I would have to admit that even some of my least favourite actors have given half-decent performances at one point or other. There are plenty of unknown actors out there who are not even capable of that. I think with acting, mediocre performers are improved by working with really good people, which most celebrities will end up doing if they work long enough. Daniel Radcliffe clearly only got Harry Potter because his dad is a huge producer and he looks a bit like a lot of people imagined the character, not because of his 'talent', and although he's improved a lot as he's matured I still think he isn't as good as he should be after having worked with Ian McKellen, Maggie Smith, Alan Rickman, Richard Griffiths, as well as some of the best directors in the world. So do I think he's complete crap? No. But then I don't think anyone would be given half an inch of confidence and the opportunities he's had. I also find it difficult to hate on someone that is generally agreed to be no good and seems to have the whole of the film-watching world against them. When Keira Knightley first came on the scene, I remember being outraged that she was working so much, but then it became so common-place to bash all of her performances that it felt a bit like pointless bullying. Even if she is awful, she's not handing down thoughtless sentences in court or leaving surgical implements inside people - if you don't like her you can always just not watch her. I think the problem is exacerbated by the nature of the internet to inflame any slight misgiving into hyperbolic fire-and-brimstone death-wishing. People take bad performances like personal attacks. If someone is bad at what they do, they must also be a cunt, and must be punished for having dared to be chosen to play a role in a film that was made by hundreds of people and the end result of which is the product of thousands of hours of work. I just think...at least they got up that morning and did something with the intention of making the world a slightly better place. That's why I find it hard to list people who I think are my 'least favourite'; they're doing it, I'm not.

However, saying that, I'm really not on board the Benedict Cumberbatch or Eddie Redmayne train. They're both really good actors, it's not their performances I don't like, but the sort of market they represent, I suppose. They both have this quasi-Victorian look that I think works with the current mania for period drama and nostalgia porn. A lot of the stuff they've done is excellent, but I hate that more and more the plummy, Etonianesque actor is coming to represent British talent internationally. It wasn't the case a generation or two ago; loads of working and middle class actors had amazing careers after getting scholarships for drama schools and working their way through the rep system. They often sounded 'posh' because of the classical voice training (which I think is bullshit), but when you look into it the industry was well fed with people from all different backgrounds. I think I find it so troubling because the mania for these really privileged actors has coincided with funding for the arts in the UK being slashed to pieces, and the arts once again being classified as a middle or upper class pursuit. The nature of the beast is that if the biggest actors are people like Cumberbatch and Redmayne or Carey Mulligan (who is also brilliant) - unimaginative casting directors are just going to be on the look out for the next one of those. Of course it's a massive generalisation, but it seems to be like the majority of people who have caught fire recently went to either Eton or Harrow. It can be written off as a 'class war' or the 'politics of envy' (ugh), but it's strange to me that the majority of internationally successful British actors don't sound like or have the same experiences as the vast majority of British people. The problem is also of course the casting opportunities available. Period dramas sell well abroad, and general audiences seem to be happy with the idea that there were no black or Asian people in the UK before 1955 - only incredibly posh white people and their chippy Northern servants. It's embarrassing the amount of incredible black actors who move abroad to find work now.

That's a really pointlessly long way of saying that I think Benedict Cumberbatch is over-rated, but it's not exactly his fault. I saw him in a Terence Rattigan play about two months before Sherlock first aired. He was excellent, but he was blown off the stage by his co-star Nancy Carroll, whose performance I will remember forever as one of the best I've seen. She's only a couple of years older than Cumberbatch, but was probably already considered too past the point of being able to 'hit it big' on T.V. Male actors have pretty much their whole careers to hit the big time, actresses have until they're about 33. I suppose that's why I get a bit righteous over 'Cumberbatch-mania'. I always remember people like Carroll and think, 'why not her too?' It almost never happens for women, unless they're huge by 24, and even then they have to work twice as hard for the rest of their careers.

I'm aware that this was suppose to be a list-thread so sorry for yapping on. I also should probably add that as an exception, I have never thought Russell Tovey was even remotely passable in anything I've seen him in. I also loathe his 'I'm a better gay because I'm not effeminate' attitude, so I have a hard time separating the him from his performances.

spyk, I think that your post is beautifully written and extremely eloquent. Part of why I felt insecure earlier, when you referred to people using this thread to bash various actors, is the fact that it was genuinely not my intention to bring hatred into the discussion. I think it's possible to question the choices and quality of the work certain people do without necessarily passing judgement on their personalities. Hate should be reserved for people who actively try to make this world worse and we all know that there are plenty of those around - a brief look at the news will convince anyone of that.

Like you, however, I do feel resentful at times. I think certain performers have been given opportunities they are simply not worthy of, and their insistence on not getting better, on refusing to work on their craft can drive me up the wall sometimes. I witnessed it (and continue to do so) first-hand at drama school, which may contribute to my feelings of bitterness. Ultimately though, the bottom line is that this business is crawling with people who are talented and dedicated, but are frequently pushed aside to make room for the Katherine Heigls and Neil Patrick Harrises of the world. It can sometimes be forgivable, especially on a short term basis, but watching people build entire careers out of thin air, well, it can be more than a little painful. Obviously, it's not my place to decide who gets to do what, and so a thread like this feels harmless - I get to express an opinion that does not actually cause harm to the people in question, without crossing the line along the way. (Obviously, calling someone a cunt or wishing they'd die because you're not a fan is unacceptable, for me at least.)

And I think overexposure is part of the problem. I really like Jennifer Lawrence, for instance, but I can't help but get exasperated at the praise being heaped on her, even when she participates in unremarkable films that hardly merit a shower of accolades. Similarly, while I concede that Benedict Cumberbatch is certainly a very capable actor, I do get tired of watching a very specific acting style being recycled over and over. I tend to enjoy actors who really take risks, and play with their public image. As great as BC is, whenever I watch him act, I see the same thing - this upper-crust, stiff upper lip gentleman. He's phenomenal at it, but there's only so much one can achieve within those confines. I wish people rewarded the risk-takers in this business more, because typecasting can be such a drain, however great the performer may be at playing the same thing over and over. I tend to love acting that surprises me, and I really miss that sometimes.

P.S. The Harry Potter kids were, indeed, pretty bad. Radcliffe and Watson seem to have turned out well-adjusted and mature, which is a good thing, but yeah - the performances remain pretty dismal.

I agree that Bloom isn't particularly talented (and I think most industry people have realised this too), but what part has nepotism played in his career? As far as I'm aware he didn't have any links in before he trained.

I thought he was Clare Bloom's son. Am I in error? If so, scratch 'neoptism' and leave 'elf wigs'. Add 'wooden actor'.